Do you ever consult your pharmacist regarding medicines? Pharmacists can provide care beyond just dispensing your medicines. For example, at the Pharmacy Anticoagulation Management and Pharmacotherapy Services at UC Health West Chester Hospital, clinical pharmacists will work with you and help you achieve the best outcomes with your medicines.

Anticoagulants, also called “blood thinners,” keep blood clots from growing and also prevent new clots. Patients need a “blood thinner” for many reasons. The most commonly used anticoagulant is warfarin. 

Blood clots in the legs and lungs are a major cause of disease in the United States. More than 2 million Americans experience a blood clot every year; possibly leading to death or long-term complications. Up to 17 out of 100 patients can die after a diagnosis of a lung clot. 

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that many older people develop; about 2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation. Because the heart beats ineffectively, blood pools in the chambers of the heart and clots can form as a result. A piece of the clot can break off and travel to the brain, leading to a stroke. Warfarin can significantly reduce your chances of a stroke.

There may be other reasons for being placed on a blood thinner, including heart valve replacements, peripheral arterial disease and after a heart attack.

The West Chester Hospital Pharmacy Anticoagulation Management Service specializes in monitoring patients who take blood thinners. This type of clinic improves patient outcomes. For example, one study found that patients who received care in a specialized clinic had lower bleeding, fewer visits to the emergency room, fewer incidents of warfarin-related hospitalization and a decreased risk for another blood clot. 

Our goal is to maximize the benefits of blood thinners and minimize adverse events, such as excessive bleeding. Pharmacists will provide individualized education, complete review of medications including drug interactions, fingerstick blood sample with immediate results, timely adjustment of anticoagulation therapy, if necessary, and complete and thorough instructions. 

Taking medicines as directed by the health care provider is called adherence. Unfortunately, many people do not take their medicines as prescribed for various reasons. Some describe medication non-adherence as America’s “other drug problem.”

As stated by C. Everett Koop, former U.S. surgeon general, “Drugs don’t work in patients who don’t take them.” Last month, the National Consumers League launched a national “Script Your Future” campaign. This campaign is designed to “help you take back your future by helping you take your medicine as directed.”  Our service can help you manage your medicines and get the most benefit from them.

If you are interested in finding out more about our Pharmacy Anticoagulation Management and Pharmacotherapy Services, call (513) 298-7790.

Karissa Kim, PharmD, is a UC Health clinical pharmacist and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy.